Ang-Ahhh.....You lived in the uber expensive part of CA. Really any costal area that is worth it's salt in CA is expensive. Expect Long Beach. The nice areas of LB are $$$$$ but the bad areas of LB even the cops don't go into at night. The problem is that you can have a nice area butt right up against a bad area. The DMV in LB had bullet proof glass that all the workes worked behind.
LA can be like that but most of the bad seed areas are more inland. Although the San Fernando Valley can have horrible gang wars.
Ventura has Oxnard and Port Hueneme that are not so good. I think they are the only cities in CA that are right on the ocean and complete barrios. Also the "Boulivard" in Ventura is nasty. We looked at a house in that area when we were looking to buy our first home. The house across the street from the one we were looking at had crime scene tape wrapped around the porch. No joking! I did not get out of the car.
Where in the Bay Area did you live if you don't mind me asking? I have an older brother who lives in Monterey. Has forever. He loves it but then he is a surfer and he owns a boat and fishes every chance he gets.
Yeah I have to say, I have days where I miss the ocean too. But we had to work so hard just to squeek by that we almost never went to enjoy it. I'm glad your happy here in WI and you could escape while the escaping was good!!
